Tabernacle



-July 3, 1951 J. F. CAMPBELL TABERNACLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 30,1946 INVENTOR.

JAMES ECAMPBELL.

ATTORNEYS Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TABERNACLEJames F. Campbell, Milton, Mass.

Application November 30, 1946, Serial No. 713,305

1 Claim. 1

vThe present invention comprises a new and improved tabernacle for useon the table of the altar for holding the chalice between services.

It is most important that such appurtenances of the service be securelyand completely protected from tampering, fire or theft, and at the sametime that the tabernacle in which they are placed should be appropriatein its appearance uponthe altar and convenient in its construction forthe priest. The tabernacle of my invention combines thesecharacteristics in that its general design conforms to ecclesiasticallines, its capacity is ample, provides maximum protection against fireand theft by including an automatic locking device, and it isparticularly convenient in operation in that it includes a singlekey-operated mechanism for both unlocking the door and moving it to openposition.

An important feature in bringing about the desired results resides in akey-operated actuating element having direct connection for releasingthe lock and a delayed action connection for moving the door so relatedand timed that the door is first released from its locked condition andthen, at the same continuous movement of the actuating element, the dooris moved to its wide open position. Conversely, when the door is closedby reverse action of the actuating element, it is automatically lockedin its closed position without further attention.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood andappreciated from the following description of a preferred embodimentthereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of the tabernacle in front elevation,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section of the lockingmechanism,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tabernacle as seen from beneath,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective and on an enlarged scale ofthe curtain supporting means,

Fig. 5 is a view of the base in cross-section and on an enlarged scale,and

Fig. 6 is a view in cross-section on the line 6-6 of Fig. l but on anenlarged scale.

In its illustrative embodiment the tabernacle comprises a hollowcircular base In upon which is supported an upright cylindrical body Hhaving a flanged circular top l2 from which arises appropriateornamental insignia I3. The cylindrical body H is provided with anopening defined by a rectangular door frame M and is supplemented bythree spaced interior cylind ricalshells or partitions l5 which not only'stiffenthe structure of the tabernacle as a whole, but provide enclosedair spaces which are efficient as insulation to protect the contents ofthe tabernacle in case of fire.

Within the partitions i5 of the cylindrical body is provided a rotarycylindrical door I6 having a fiat circular bottom IT. The door it selfcarries a frame l8 which fitsthe frame [4.

when the door is in closed position as shown in.

Fig. 6. The door carries in its rear side a yertical bar is whichcooperates with the look as will be presently described. The doorcarries an ornamental panel which is exposed when the door is in closedposition as shown in Fig. 6, whereas .1 a i5 rotation of the door incounter-clockwise the full...

direction will open the tabernacle for width of the frame l4. I

The base in is closed by a circular horizontal partition 20 to the upperface of which is secured a circular plate 2| having a ball race in itsupper surface. To the bottom ll of the door is secured a similarcircular plate 22 having a corresponding ball race for the ball bearings23"which thus support the rotary door and facilitate its movement to andfrom closing position. A short vertical shaft 24 projects downwardlyfrom the bottom ll of the door through the partition 20 and into thebase where it is provided with a bevel gear 25. The bevel gear 25 mesheswith a corresponding bevel gear 21 fast to the inner end of a horizontalshaft 26 journaled in bearing brackets 28 which extend downwardly fromthe partition 20 as best shown in Fig. 3. A lock 29 is set in the frontwall of the base Ill and surrounds the forward end of the shaft 26. Akey 3i} is provided for this look and has the double function ofreleasing the cylindrical door for movement and of actuating it in itsopening and closing movement.

A vertically movable bolt Si is provided for engaging the bar IQ of thedoor and positively looking the door in its closed position. The bolt 3|is mounted for movement in a stationary sleeve 32 fast to the partition20. The bolt has at its lower end a transversely extending head 33 andthis is connected through a tension spring 34 to a, pin extendingtransversel through the sleeve 32 and the bolt 31 which is slotted sothat it may move freely with respect to the pin. The upper end of thebolt is beveled so that the bolt may be depressed by contact with thelower end of the bar 19 when the latter is moved over it in closing thedoor.

As'shown in Fig. 5, the head 33 is engaged by the free end of a lever 35pivotally supported by a pin 36 mounted beneath the partition 20 andextends into the vicinity of the lock 29 Where it is provided with alatch piece 3'! controlled by a tension spring 38.

The lock is encircled by a sleeve 39 connected to a lifting cam 40 uponwhich the latch 31 normally rests. The sleeve 39 includes a loop-shapedportion in which is located an arm 4| fast upon the shaft 26. When thekey 30 is inserted in the lock it first rocks the sleeve 39 lifting thecam 40 and depressing the free end of the lever 35, thus forcing thebolt 3| downwardly and releasing the cylindrical cover 16. In thecontinued rotation of the key, the loop-shaped portion of the sleeve 39engages the arm All on the shaft 26, turning the shaft and through thebevel gears 2! and 25 rotating the door to its open position.

In this movement the latch 31 is temporarily displaced to permit thelifting cam 49 to pass it and these parts are restored to their initialposition as shown in Fig. 5 when the door is again closed.

The flanged top I2 of the tabernacle contains and conceals a tubularslotted ring 42 in which is contained a number of ball-headed hooks 43from which are suspended a curtain 44 of ornamental fabric. Thismounting for the curtain permits it to be readily drawn from openposition, as shown in Fig. 1, to closed position should that be desired.

Having thus disclosed my invention and de- 4 scribed in detail anillustrative embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent:

A tabernacle safe comprising stationary concentric shells spaced toprovide intermediate air spaces and having a front opening, a stationarybottom plate, a circular plate rotatably mounted thereon, an arcuatedoor carried by said rotatable plate and shaped to close said .frontopening, a vertical bar movable with the rotary plate and located at therear side of the safe when the door is closed, a latch carried by thestationary bottom plate and movable to engage said bar for locking thedoor, a lever pivotally mounted on the under side of the bottom plateand engaged with the latch, and key operated mechanism for rocking saidlever and for moving the said door.

JAMES F. CAMPBELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,254,433 Rauwald Jan. 22, 19181,829,333 Bergs Oct. 27, 1931 1,907,850 Mertel May 9, 1933 1,924,365Mariotti Aug. 29, 1933 1,951,432 Mertel Mar. 20, 1934 1,956,958 MertelMay 1, 1934 2,436,569 Halter Feb. 24, 1948'

